Hopple.



I. T. PHILLIPS.

HOPPLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1907.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

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JOHN T. PHILLIPS, OF MILAN, MICHIGAN.

HOPPLE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed May 7, 1907. Serial No. 372,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Milan, in the county of WVashtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hopples, of which the following is a specification, ref erence being had therein to the accompanying drawings. I

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction of a pacing and trotting hopple which is free from certain objections in constructions heretofore employed, and particularly in that it avoids all chafing of the legs of the horse.

To this end, the construction consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the hopple in operative relation with the boots; Fig. 2 is an elevation of a hopple.

In the present state of the art, pacing and trotting hopples are usually constructed with loops for slipping over the legs of a horse, the loops for the forward and hind legs being connected to each other by a strap, and both loops and straps being supported by suspension straps passing over the body of the horse. Such a construction forms an effective hopple, but is open to the objection that the loops are constantly chafing the legs of the horse. With my improved construction, I avoid this difficulty by providing boots which fit and are strapped in position upon the legs of the horse, said boots forming seats or bearings for the hopple loops and protecting the legs of the horse therefrom.

As illustrated, A are the boots preferably formed of soft leather, or other suitable material, and fashioned to fit the legs of the horse.

B are suspension straps passing over the body of the horse, and at their lower ends preferably bifurcated, as at C, each of the furcations being connected, as by buckles D, with the boot. This boot is secured to the leg by suitable buckles and strap connections E.

F are hopple loops, which may be of any suitable construction adapted to embrace the boot A.

G are wear strips attached to the boots at 1 amount of free play. These are preferably united by lacing or other securing devices formed of flaps of leather secured to opposite sides of the boot, each pair of flaps being to form a closed loop.

With the construction described, the hopple may be placed upon the horse by first attaching the boots and suspending them by straps B. The hopple loops F may then be slipped over the legs and secured in position by opening the flaps constituting the loops H, and then lacing, or otherwise securing them about the loop F. When thus attached, the boots A take all of the chafing due to the movement of the loops thereon, and protect the legs of the horse from injury.

The hopple loops F may be either supported solely by their attachment to the boots A or, if desired, may be provided with independent suspension straps B.

WVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a pacing and trotting hopple, the combination with boots adapted to fit the hind and fore legs respectively of a horse, hopple loops loosely embracing said boots, a strap connecting said loops, suspension straps for said hopple loops, independent suspension straps for said boots, each boot being provided on its outer side with a wear strip, flaps secured to said boots and laced together at their outer ends to form a guide for the hopple loop.

2. In a pacing and trotting hopple, the combination with boots adapted to fit the hind and fore legs respectively of a horse, hopple loops loosely embracing said boots, a strap connecting said loops, suspension straps for said hopple loops, independent suspension straps for said boots, each boot being provided with a wear strip on its outer side, and guide loops for said hopple loops secured to each boot adjacent to said wear strip.

3. In a pacing and trotting hopple, the combination with boots adapted to fit the hind and fore legs respectively of a horse, hopple loops loosely embracing said boots, a strap connecting said loops, suspension straps for said hopple loops, independent suspension straps for said boots, and guide loops for said hopple loops secured to said boots.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN T. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

NELLIE KINsELLA, J AMES P. BARRY. 

